There are more than 40 performances of classical music, opera and musical theatre in the Greater Toronto Area on Saturday and Sunday. Because there are so many fine choices in the city besides my weekly critic’s picks, I panned for more gold and found six shiny nuggets that might get overlooked — unless you want to get specific with your tastes:
- Classical Music 101: What Does A Conductor Do? - June 17, 2019
- Classical Music 101 | What Does Period Instrument Mean? - May 6, 2019
- CLASSICAL MUSIC 101 | What Does It Mean To Be In Tune? - April 23, 2019
SATURDAY
French baroque rarities
Musicians in the Ordinary — soprano Hallie Fischel and theorbo player John Edwards — are joined by violinist Christopher Verrette, gambist Justin Haynes and Philip Fournier on harpsichord in an eclectic programme of music from the court of Sun King Louis XIV at cozy Heliconian Hall in Yorkville. 8 p.m. Details here.
Chamber music with a virtuosic edge
Toronto violinist Edwin Huizinga, one of the driving forces behind the local chapter of Classical Revolution, is part of an Academy Concert Series programme honouring little-heard chamber music on period instruments by 19th century violinist-composer Niccolò Paganini. Huizinga is joined by violist Emily Eng, cellist Kerri McGonigle and Lucas Harris on guitar at Eastminster United Church on the Danforth (a block from the Chester subway station). 8 p.m. Details here.
A Québecois take on modernism
The great Québecois pianist Louise Bessette showcases the piano music of one of her personal heroes, Montreal composer Gilles Tremblay, for New Music Concerts. Having the concert in the informal, accessible atmosphere of Parkdale’s Gallery 345 should go a long way to take the edge off this radical, modernist music. The programme also includes pieces inspired by Tremblay’s work by Michel Gonneville, Silvio Palmieri and Walter Boudreau. 8 p.m. Details here.
SUNDAY
This salon rocks
Anywhere baritone Peter McGillivray steps out to sing is worth checking out. And this programme by Off Centre Music Salon promises all sorts of riches (not just because it happens to be about European music’s great philanthropists). Co-artistic directors and pianists Boris Zarankin and Inna Perkis have also invited mezzo Lauren Segal, accordion master Joseph Macerollo and former Toronto Symphony Orchestra concertmaster Jacques Israelievitch to the Glenn Gould Studio. 2 p.m. Details here.
A young organ star shows off
French-born Jean-Willy Kunz, who has officially been named the first organist-in-residence at Montreal’s Maison symphonique, is giving a recital at Rosedale Presbyterian Church (at Mt Pleasant Rd & Elm St, a scenic 5-minute walk from the Sherbourne subway station). The programme concludes with an improvisation on a submitted theme. 3 p.m. Details here.
Pierrot gets musical
Mooredale Concerts’ latest family-friendly effort at Walter Hall includes a mime as soprano Alison Angelo, pianist Kathleen van Mourik and Charles Foreman as well as reader Larry Bent take us from the 19th century revival of interest in the commedia dell’arte clown Pierrot to the present day. 3:15 p.m. (with a children-oriented “music and truffles” session at 1:15 p.m.). Details here.
John Terauds
- Classical Music 101: What Does A Conductor Do? - June 17, 2019
- Classical Music 101 | What Does Period Instrument Mean? - May 6, 2019
- CLASSICAL MUSIC 101 | What Does It Mean To Be In Tune? - April 23, 2019
